This Guidance for HIV Prevention Community Planning defines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) expectations of health departments and HIV prevention community planning groups (CPGs) in implementing HIV prevention community planning. HIV Prevention Community Planning is one of nine required essential components of a comprehensive HIV prevention program as outlined in Program Announcement #04012 (2004-2008), HIV Prevention Projects , Notice of Availability of Funds.

The HIV Prevention Community Planning Guidance provides a blue-print for HIV prevention planning and provides flexible direction to CDC grantees* receiving federal HIV prevention funds to design and implement a participatory HIV prevention community planning process. HIV prevention community planning is a collaborative process by which health departments work in partnership with the community to implement a CPG(s) to develop a comprehensive HIV prevention plan that best represents the needs of populations infected with or at risk for HIV.

The Guidance consists of the following sections:

• Section I — Introduction to the Guidance, page 1;
• Section II — Importance of HIV Prevention Community Planning, pages 2-7;
• Section III — HIV Prevention Community Planning Process, pages 7-11
• Section IV — Monitoring and Evaluation, pages 11-13;
• Section V — Roles and Responsibilities, pages 13-19;
• Section VI — Accountability, pages 19-24; and
• Section VII — Appendices, pages 25-45

Note: This current version of the Guidance for HIV Prevention Community Planning (finalized on July 10, 2003) replaces all previous versions and guidances for HIV Prevention Community Planning.